We’re up to number 4 of our in depth look at the 7 types of social media posts that get results and this week we're looking at 5 User-Generated Content posts to Boost Your Online Presence.
User-Generated Content, otherwise known as UGC. Let’s start with…
What is UGC?
UGC, is content that your followers/ideal clients create and share with you, usually by tagging you, but it can be by other methods too.
It can be anything from photos, videos, reviews, testimonials, and more.
The awesome thing about UGC is that the content created by your clients, fans, or followers is a great way to show off your business’s products or services.
What are the benefits of UGC?
UGC is an awesome way for your business to increase engagement, build a community, and showcase your products or services.
In fact, UGC is often considered the “cool kid on the block” in the world of social media marketing. Why? Because it’s seen as more authentic, trustworthy, and influential than traditional marketing methods.
Here are a few reasons why UGC posts are awesome!
It Builds Trust and Credibility
UGC is created by actual people who’ve used your product or service and are happy to share their experiences with other people.
Because your ideal clients are more likely to trust the opinions of their peers rather than your business’s marketing messages, UGC posts are totally awesome at generating that know, like, and trust factor.
Plus, not only do UGC posts show the benefits you’re delivering for your existing clients, when you share the content on your social media channels, it shows that you value your client’s and their opinions. And that, too, builds the know, like, and trust factor.
UGC posts increase Engagement
Most UGC posts tend to be quite interactive, which is why they can help increase engagement on your social media channels.
When you share User Generated Content on your social media pages and platforms, it encourages your ideal clients to engage with your business by liking, commenting, sharing, or tagging their friends. And this means increased visibility and reach for your business.
User Generated Content showcases your products or services
UGC is also a great way to showcase your products or services in a real and relatable way.
When your followers and clients create content that features your business, they are showing how your products or services fit into their lives.
This helps make your business/products/services more relatable to your ideal clients and gives them something they can directly relate to.
User Generated Content can also help to highlight the unique features and benefits of your products or services that followers, clients, and ideal clients (aka your target market) may not have been aware of.
UGC can save time
We all know that creating content is time-consuming and there’s usually a lot of work going into creating posts/videos/lives/reels than meets the eye – whatever the format of your post.
By sharing UGC on your social media, you’re leveraging the content that your clients have already created. This saves time and money on content creation. And bonus points – it also helps to diversify your content.
5 ways to encourage UGC on social media
So, now you know all about the benefits of User Generated Content for social media. Let’s look at 5 User Generated Posts you can use in your social media strategy.
1. Run a Social Media Contest
Running a social media contest is a great way to encourage your followers and clients to create UGC.
You can ask people to share photos, videos, or reviews featuring your business, and offer a prize for the best entry. This not only encourages User Generated Content, it also helps to increase engagement and reach for your business.
For example, a cosmetics business could run a “Summer Glow-up Challenge” on Instagram asking their followers to share a photo or video of themselves using the business's products, encouraging them to tag the business and use the hashtag #SummerGlowUp.
The business selects the best entries and rewards them with a summer beauty kit. The winner is likely to create more content using the summer beauty kit and showcasing the cosmetics business’ products even further.
2. Create a Branded Hashtag
By creating an awesome hashtag that represents your business, you can inspire your ideal clients to create UGC.
It’s easy – simply ask your ideal clients to use your branded hashtag when they share content related to your business. This not only helps to create a sense of community but also helps to increase the visibility of your business on social media.
For example, a coffee shop creates a branded hashtag #CoffeeLoversUnite and encourages their followers to share photos of enjoying their coffee using the hashtag. And again, encouraging them to tag the business or check-in online. Additionally, the coffee shop could dd signs around store showcasing the # and encouraging people to check-in and use it.
The coffee shop reposts the content on their Instagram page, increasing engagement and showcasing their products.
3. Ask for Reviews and Testimonials
Asking your clients for reviews and testimonials is a great way to generate UGC. You can ask your clients to share their experiences with your business on social media or your website. This not only helps to build trust and credibility but also provides valuable feedback that you can use to improve your products or services.
For example, a travel agency asks their clients to share their trip and experience booking through the agency on social media. The agency reposts the review on their social media channels and website, providing (what we call) social proof and increasing trust in their business.
4. Collaborate with Influencers
Collaborating with influencers is a great way to generate UGC and, at the same time, reach a wider audience full of your ideal clients.
This involves asking influencers to create content that features your business/products/services and share it on their social media. Not only does this create UGC for your business, it also helps to increase the visibility of your business on social media. You can read more about Influencer marketing in general here.
An example of UGC collaborating with influencers might be a fitness nutrition business collaborating with a fitness influencer. The influencer creates a video showcasing the business's products and shares it on their social media channels.
5. Feature User-Generated Content on Your Social Media Channels
Finally, any positive UGC created should be shared on your social platforms. It’s really the whole purpose of including UGC posts in your social media strategy.
By showcasing your clients and their experiences with your business you’re strengthening the relationship you have with followers, clients, and ideal clients.
Sharing photos, videos, or reviews that your clients have created, acknowledging and tagging them in your content not only helps to increase engagement but also shows that you value your clients and their opinions.
For example, a clothing store reposts their client's posts of them wearing the clothing store outfits. This not only showcases the clothing the store sells but also builds a sense of community among their followers. Because they get to see how the clothes look on actual people (like themselves) they feel like they’re part of something bigger—a fashion-loving family, if you will!
Measuring the impact of UGC on your social media strategy
As with any marketing strategy measuring the impact and/or results of User Generated Content is essential to understand how it is contributing to your overall social media strategy.
Here are a few ways to measure the impact of UGC.
Engagement Metrics
One of the simplest ways to measure the impact of UGC is through engagement metrics. This includes likes, comments, shares, and saves on UGC posts. By monitoring these metrics, you can determine which types of UGC are resonating with your ideal clients and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Reach and Impression
Another way to measure the impact of UGC is through reach and impressions. This can give you an idea of how many people are seeing and engaging with your UGC posts. You can also track the number of new followers and website traffic generated from UGC to understand its impact on your overall social media growth.
Sales and Conversions
If you're using UGC to promote your products or services, tracking sales and conversions can help you determine its impact on your bottom line. You can track the number of sales or conversions generated from UGC posts or campaigns to understand its return on investment (ROI).
Measuring the impact of UGC on your social media strategy is crucial to understanding its effectiveness and adjusting your approach accordingly. By tracking engagement metrics, reach and impressions, and sales and conversions, you can determine the ROI of UGC and optimise your social media strategy for success.
Boost Your Business's Online Presence with UGC
We love UGC because when you provide a platform for your followers to share their own content featuring your business, it creates a sense of community and trust that other social media posts may not do as effectively.
Remember though, to make the most out of UGC posts for YOUR business, it’s crucial you have a strategy in place. Whether it's through running social media contests, using a branded hashtag, or collaborating with influencers, there are various ways you can use UGC to align with your business goals.
Measuring the impact of User Generated Content on your social media is key to understanding the effectiveness of your UGC strategy and seeing how you’re tracking towards reaching your social media goals.
Ultimately, UGC is an awesome tool that you can use to connect with your ideal clients to build that know, like, and trust factor. So, let your followers take the lead with UGC and witness your business's social media success soar.
